These celebrities have all lovingly adopted children

Disney Channel star Bridgit Mendler has adopted a 4yo son

In February 2024, actress Bridgit Mendler shared on X (formerly Twitter) that she recently became a mum after adopting a four-year-old.

“The other news I wanted to share is I’m a mama to a sweet 4yo boy,” the 31 year-old revealed. “Started fostering in 2021 adopted near Christmas of 2022.”

“I’m so lucky – being a parent is the biggest gift and most defining experience there is,” Mendler added. “That’s my news for now folks 💛.”

The former Good Luck Charlie actress tied the knot with Griffin Cleverly in October 2019.

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Sia says she adopted because her ex-husband kept all of their embryos

Sia has confirmed she has adopted two teenage sons.

In a 2020 interview with Nova 96.9’s Fitzy and Wippa, Sia revealed she’d originally planned on having her own children but her divorce saw her go down the adoption route.

“I bought this massive house, I was married at the time and then I got a divorce. All my embryos are with that dude so I thought I was gonna have loads of children but I can’t now so I adopted two.”

Speaking to a US radio show in 2020, Sia said she adopted the boys when they were due to leave foster care because they were 18 at the time.

“They were ageing out of the foster care system, Yeah, and I love them.”

The Chandelier singer appeared on The Project in 2021 and spoke about her influence on the boys.

“Most of their lives they’ve been conditioned to lie and manipulate, so the past year has been all about teaching them how to become rigorously honest and live in the moment without using any substances,” she said of her boys – one who goes by Che and the other whose identity remains private.

“There has been a lot of heartache. There has been a lot of lost trust and then a lot of regained trust,” she added. “But I do trust them both. And I’m proud because they’ve come a very long way.”

Sia first spoke about becoming a mum in January, 2020 during a GQ interview.

Sia was previously married to documentarian Erik Lang. The two split in 2016.

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Katherine Heigl and her musician husband, Josh Kelley have two adopted daughters and a biological son

The couple adopted daughter, Nancy Leigh Mi-Eun Kelley, 14, from South Korea in 2009.

This is also the birth place of Katherine’s adopted sister.

In 2012, the couple adopted another girl, Adalaide Marie Hope, 11, from the US.

“I wanted my own family to resemble the one I came from, so I always knew I wanted to adopt from Korea,” Katherine, 45, said after adopting her first daughter.

“We have talked about having biological children as well, but we decided to adopt first. I just wanted to be a mum.”

The former Grey’s Anatomy star gave birth to a son, Joshua Jr. in 2017.

In January 2023, Katherine shared in an interview how she’s raising her daughters to not be people-pleasers.

“I do think there is this under-the-radar, unsaid, collectively understood vibe that women are meant to be ‘pleasing.’ I see it in my young daughters, and it’s just this odd, inherent social thing,” she said. “I’m certainly not teaching them to be like that, but they’re picking it up somewhere. I keep saying, ‘I need you to understand that that is not your job.'”

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Angelina Jolie and her former husband, Brad Pitt are famously known for their blended family.

Angelina adopted her first child, Maddox Chivian, 22, from Cambodia in 2002.

In 2005, the 48-year-old humanitarian adopted Zahara Marley, 19, from Ethopia.

In 2006 Angelina legally moved to change both Maddox and Zahara’s last names to Jolie-Pitt.

The Mr. and Mrs. Smith stars had their first biological child, Shiloh Nouvel, 17, in 2006.

In 2007, the actress adopted her son Pax Thien, 20, as a single parent (per Vietnamese rules about unmarried couples adopting children) and Brad later adopted Pax.

They then welcomed twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline, 15, in 2008.

After marrying in 2014, Brad and Angelina divorced two years later in 2016.

In 2023, Jolie told Vogue that her children “saved” her.

“I was 26 when I became a mother,” she said. “My entire life changed. Having children saved me — and taught me to be in this world differently. I think, recently, I would’ve gone under in a much darker way had I not wanted to live for them.”

(Image: Getty Images)

Hugh Jackman and ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness share two adopted children, Oscar Maximillian and Ava Eliot

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-lee Furness adopted their son, Oscar, 23, in 2000, and their daughter, Ava, 18, in 2005.

In 2004, Deborra-Lee revealed that they adopted because she previously suffered miscarriages.

In 2011, Hugh said he doesn’t think of his children as adopted, saying “they’re our children. Deb and I are believers in I suppose you could call it destiny. We feel things happened the way they are meant to. Obviously, biologically wasn’t the way we were meant to have children.”

After nearly three decades of marriage, Hugh and Deborra-Lee announced their split in September 2023 and released a statement saying their “family has been and always will be our highest priority.”

“We have been blessed to share almost 3 decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage,” they said. “Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”

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Actress Charlize Theron has adopted two children

The Bombshell actress became a mother in 2012 when she adopted her daughter Jackson, 11. 

Three years, in 2015, she she adopted daughter August, 7.

In 2018, Charlize spoke to People about her decision to adopt came largely from her upbringing in South Africa, which exposed her to orphanages and children in need in her community at a young age.

“This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first.”

In 2023, Charlize spoke about raising her daughters and being a single mum.

“[Being] a parent in general is a nice hard,” she said. “When you’re in it, you’re like, ‘I’m never going to survive this.’ And then you get to the other side, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, this is amazing. I can’t believe I did that.’” 

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In 2006, actress Meg Ryan adopted a 14-month-old girl from China, named Daisy True.

As well as Daisy, who is now 18, the 62yo When Harry Met Sally star also has a 31yo son, Jack Henry, from her marriage to actor, Dennis Quaid.

The couple divorced in 2001.

Meg spoke about her adult children in 2023 saying, “I have two of the greatest kids,” she said. “They are hilarious, they’re smart, they are kind, they’re interested in other people, they’re curious about the world. I feel like both of them make the world a little better, and I just feel so proud of them.”

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Oscar-winning actress, Sandra Bullock has two adopted children

The Bird Box star, 59 adopted Louis, now 13 in 2010 and Laila, now 11 in 2012.

Sandra has previously spoken out about not referring to her kids and “adopted”.

“Let’s all just refer to these kids as ‘our kids’. Don’t say ‘my adopted child.’ Let’s just say, ‘our children’”.

(Image: Instagram)